This invention relates generally to a cleaning apparatus, and more particularly, concerns an apparatus for disengaging the cleaner brushes from the photoreceptive surface.
In the image on image, multi-pass color development process, four layers of color toner (black, cyan, yellow and magenta) are developed onto the photoreceptor before transfer to paper. A separate cycle of the photoreceptor is required to accomplish the development of each color toner layer. To avoid disturbance of these images as the color toner layers are being developed, the cleaning elements must be disengaged from the photoreceptor surface until after the four toner layers have been developed and transferred to paper. After the toner image has been transferred to the paper the cleaning elements must be re-engaged to the photoreceptor to clean any residual toner which failed to transfer.
Several copiers presently use the multi-pass process before a single transfer step. The Konica 9028 machine uses a blade cleaner which is retracted from the photoreceptor drum while the color images are being developed. The Panasonic FP-C1 machine uses a single electrostatic brush cleaner which is retracted by a cam from the drum photoreceptor. The Sharp CX7500 machine uses an intermediate belt and a dual blade cleaner which is retracted from the photoreceptor belt by a solenoid during color image development. The primary, high load, blade is also retracted when the photoreceptor seam passes under the blade to avoid a motion quality disturbance. All of these methods involve movement of the cleaning device into and out of contact with the photoreceptor.
The following disclosure may be relevant to various aspects of the present invention and may be briefly summarized as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,808 to Booth discloses an applicator system and method for automatically applying and securing an adhesive backed label onto a corner surface. The applicator head includes a backer plate and a tamping mechanism (or tamper plate) connected in spaced relationship through helical (or other) springs to the backer plate, whereby a label applied to the tamping mechanism is applied to the corner surface through spring force of the helical springs which press the label onto the corner surface but are sufficiently resilient to permit movement of the backer plate orthogonal to the tamper plate, and thus, relative to the corner surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,671 to Koff discloses an apparatus in which a tubular member mounted on a shaft moves linearly in response to rotation of the shaft. A cam is mounted on the shaft and in engagement with bearings mounted on the interior surface of the tubular member. As the shaft rotates, the cam moves in unison therewith to move the tubular member linearly. The linear movement of the tubular member moves a portion of a photoconductive belt between an operative position, adjacent a developer unit, and an inoperative position, spaced from the developer unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,864 to Shoji et al. discloses an image forming apparatus having a cleaning device arranged on the outer periphery of an image retainer, and bringing into and out of abutment against the image retainer, wherein the cleaning device comprises a first cleaning member and a second cleaning member arranged downstream of the first cleaning member in the moving direction of the surface of the image retainer. A cleaning operation of the second cleaning member against the image retainer is conducted according to a time at which the cleaning operation of the first cleaning member against the image retainer is conducted.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,406 to Klett discloses an apparatus which cleans particles from a photoconductive member arranged to advance along a predetermined path. When the photoconductive member is stationary, the particle cleaner and photoconductive member are spaced from one another. The photoconductive member is deflected into engagement with the particle cleaner in response to the photoconductive member advancing along the pre-determined path. In this manner, the particle cleaner removes residual particles from the photoconductive member during the movement thereof along the pre-determined path.